Atieno
Years upon years have passed since the first meeting between magis and the atienos. The small group of magis venturing into the land of Voltar had wisely chosen to travel by night to avoid the heat of the day, and it was then that they heard an eerie yet beautiful sound. Words spoken in a language unfamiliar to them rose and fell through the night; almost, though not quite, like song. Intrigued, they followed the sound and found a beautiful and fearsome-looking creature, clawed hands gesturing in the air as the creature told its favourite story to the moonlit night. Much has happened since that first meeting and now you may find the peaceful atienos living as far north as Synara City, able to read and occasionally even speak the languages of their surroundings, although they still travel south once a year to seek their mate. It is the atienos' great thirst for knowledge that has driven them to leave their Voltar homes. The atienos hoard stories like a dragon hoards gold; no story is too short, too long, too trivial, or too fantastic. Visiting the lair of an atieno is like walking into a grand library. Everywhere you look you'll find stacks of books and scrolls, some of them rare treasures that even Synaran nobles would be proud to own - and maybe they did. It is rumoured that atienos have no qualms about borrowing a book they like only to never return it again. Egg This egg sings in a deep melodic tune, the half moon on the shell glowing with the sounds of the song. Hatchling Having an atieno hatchling as companion can be both very rewarding and very taxing. They love stories as much as their elders and will whine and plead to hear their favourite stories time and again. You will soon find yourself growing tired of telling the same story for the fifth time in a row, it is therefore strongly encouraged to teach them how to read as soon as possible. Nocturnal by nature, they are active while their magi sleeps but can easily be entertained for hours by a new book, even lulling their magi to sleep by reading the book aloud in their own melodic language. And if their magi wakes to find the hatchling gone, the most logical place to search will always be the library. Finding an atieno hatchling curled up on a library shelf in the morning, fast asleep under an open book is not a rare occurrence. Adult It is during the nights surrounding the spring equinox that the atienos meet in the Scarlands of Voltar, from near and far, to compete with each other in the glorious art of storytelling. Some choose to entertain with stories they have themselves painstakingly created in the year that has passed since the last festival. Others quote from their favourite book, acting out well-known scenes with much gusto. It is in these displays of storytelling that the markings on their hide come alive, glowing in wondrous patterns to accompany the story, powerful enough to even lift them into the air, yet only for a short while. Both females and males display their storytelling abilities, some in the hope of attracting a potential mate, and others for the sheer joy of entertaining their fellows.